Cleaning device for wells.



D; A. GARDEN.

CLEANING DEVICE FOR WELLS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 21,1911.

I Patented Mar. 19, 1918.

' 'lIllIIAMlI IllIlX'I/IIIII4 come, for any DAVID A. GARDEN, OF H'oUs'roN HEIGHTS, TEXAS.

CLEANING DEVICE FOR-WELLS.

- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 19, 1918.

Application filed July 21, 1917. Serial No. 182,088.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID A. Cancun, a citizen of the United States, residing at 'Houston Heights, in the county of Harris and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cleaning Devices for Wells, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a cleaning device for wells and is particularly adapted for the purpose of the washing out of the Well screen after it has been set in the bore.

Well screens now in most common use are formed of perforated pipe usually wrapped with screen wire, the turns of which are spaced apart and as the screen is .lowered into the bore, the slits between the turns of wire become clogged and filled with sand and dirt and after the screen is set it must .be washed out by forcing water under prestion is to provide a device for the purpose of washing out the screen when 'it has bereason, clogged.

With the a ove and other obj ectsin view, the invention has particular relation to certain novel features of construction, operation and arrangement of parts, an example of which is given in this specification and iillustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device located within the screen.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view of a packing ring employed.

Fig. 5 is a plan view thereof.

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view of a form of washer employed, and

Fig. 7 is a plan view thereof.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates a well screen which is formed of perforated pipe wrapped with suitable screen wire 2, the

turns of which are spaced apart. This screen is set in the bore and there is usually a space 3 between the screen and the wall of the bore. The oil flows in through the slits between-the screen wire 2 from the sur-' roundino reservoir into the interior of the screen. lHowever, in setting the screen, the slits between the turns of wire often become clogged with sand and other detritus and v descri ed :This device includes two sections of pipe 4 and 5 which are spaced apart and each of which is provided with a pluralityof perforations 6, said sections 4 and 5 being connected by means of a pipe section 7 provided with-a plurality of small perforations 8, said section 7 being connected to the adjoining sections by the collars 9 and 10. Fitted over each of the sections 4 and 5 are the metallic washers 11 which are spaced apart. These washers fit closely around the respective sections and between them are the open packing rings 12 which surround the res ective sections 4 and 5 and are spaced there rom. The end washers are secured on the section 4 by means of the respective collars 9, 9, which are screwed on th respective ends of said section and abut against said washers and the end washers are secured on the respective ends of the section 5 bymeans of the collar 10 and the cap 10 which are screwed on the respective ends of said section 5. The device is let down into the screen by means of a string ofpipe 13 and water is then forced down through said string under pressure by means of a force pump located at the surface. The perforations of the sections 4 and 5 have a greater capacity than those of the section 7 and a portion of the water passes through the first mentioned perforations and forces the packing rin s 12 open causing them to expand against t e inner walls of the screen on all sides forming a water tight oint with said screen and preventing the passage of water between the screen and the sections 4 and 5. The remainder of the water passes through the orifices 8 provided in section 7 and out through the portion of the screen opposite said last mentioned section and passes thence along the space 3 and enters strong pressure washes out the slits between the turns of wire and as the device is gradually lowered Washes out and cleanses the screen. A tube 14 terminates below the cap 10' and passes up through the washer and its upper end is provided with an elbow, 15'

which passes out through the pipe 13 and terminates within the'screen. The current of water passing downwardly and entering the screen beneath the washer passesgthence upwardly through said tube 14 and the current carries with it the free sand in the fluid within the screen underneath the ,washer.

As the device is lowered in the screen from time to time the water pressure may be cut 0E or lowered so as to decrease thefriction between the rin s 12 and the screen 1 to prevent the wear of and injury to said 7 rings.

-, What I claim is:

l. A device of the character described. including a perforated pipe, an expansible member surrounding the same and adapted e packing rings fitted 7 readily expanded radially by fluid pressure exerted through said perforations.

3. In a device of the character described, a perforated pipe section, a, plurality of washers surrounding the same and spaced apart and expansible packing rings spaced from the pipe and fitted loosely between said Washers.

4. A device of the character described including a perforated pipe, expansible members surrounding the same and spaced apart, each of said expansiblemembers including a plurality of washers surrounding the pipe and spaced apart and expansible packing rings fitted loosely between said-washers and spaced from said ipe.

5. A device of t e character described ineluding a perforated pipe, expansible members surrounding the same and spaced apart, each'of said expansible members including a plurality of washers surrounding the pipe and spaced apart and radially expansible, packing rings fitted loosely. between said washers and adapted to be expanded radially by a fluid' ressure exerted through the perforations of the pipe;

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence .oftwo subscribing witnesses.

DAVID A. GARDEN.

Witnessesz I WM. A. CATHEY,

, THOMAS NoBLE. 

